~Saturday Snippets~ Introducing Saturday Snippets: The 11th Commandment

The last two Fridays I've posted excerpts from my newest release, Forgotten, and other Heartless tales. That got me thinking. I'm a huge fan of alliteration. Not sure why, I just am. (Yes, I know, Regency Wednesday doesn't qualify, but that choice was due to Almack's Assemblies being held on Wednesday nights. Kind of a huge Regency thing, you know?) 

I digress. 

This thought in mind, and remembering that I'd once participated in Sweet Saturday Samples, I wanted to go back to sharing snippets of my writing, past and present. Thus, Saturday Snippets. I will start today with a shorter snippet of one of my available works. Next week...well, we'll see what I come up with then. ☺

Without further ado, here is a portion of The 11th Commandment, the serial Regency romance I wrote for InD'tale Magazine. Enjoy! 

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Part II

The Will

“S-Simon?”

Simon Delacourt's heart leapt into his throat. Lady Katherine, Duchess of Jarvis, wife of the late Duke of Jarvis, once again stood in the same room with him, only a few paces away. Her ebony hair gleamed, caught up at her nape in a ruthless knot. The sight conjured the memory of all those silken strands loosened from their confinement, sliding over his hands and falling over their naked flesh.

The bittersweet recollection sent a thrill coursing his spine even as shame pooled in his middle. Jarvis had been his friend, confidante, closest companion for many years. But while Jarvis was his friend, Katherine was his curse, the devil's own daughter sent to tempt him. He'd wanted her forever with a desire that made all other women—whores and ladies alike—pale in comparison. It was no wonder he'd stumbled so weakly into her arms at the mere crook of a finger.

That shame leapt quickly into anger, anger at her, anger at himself, and anger at Jarvis. They were all to blame, he knew it and Jarvis knew it. He was pretty sure Katherine, with her wide astonished eyes, had no idea just how much Jarvis was to blame.

Her astonishment at Simon's presence at the reading of her husband's will, however, was out of proportion to the situation. It was apparent she'd forgotten his relationship to the late duke, forgotten they were cousins.

He would have said something wholly inappropriate, anger overcoming sense, but a snicker beside him—courtesy of the new Duke of Jarvis—brought him back to the present. Offering the slightest of bows, he murmured, “Lady Jarvis,” and jabbed an elbow into the new duke's ribs. That young man's gasp returned sense to the room.

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I hope you enjoyed this snippet. If you'd like to read the rest of the story, you can subscribe to InD'tale Magazine (it's free) and go back through the magazine archive starting with the July/August 2012 issue, or you can get the compiled edition from Amazon (US & UK), B&N, Apple, Smashwords, or Kobo for only 99¢. Thank you for stopping by!

Watch for another snippet next Saturday. ☺

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Escala ~ Requiem for a Tower 

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Michaella's Match

Sorry I'm a bit late posting this. I've scoured my recent work to find an excerpt I thought would entertain my readers and the one I've picked is from a short story titled Michaella's Match. 

This story is closely connected to my novel Heartless, taking place a few years after that story's conclusion. Lady Michaella Harcourt is the star of this short, the sister of the heroine from Heartless. Some of you may remember her as the sweet, meek, legitimate daughter of the Earl of Harwood. She developed feelings for Gabriel St. Clair but fate (aka The Evil Author) had other plans. 

(If this story was longer and wasn't destined to be part of an anthology of Regency shorts, it would be titled Melancholy, In keeping with my one-word titles for this "series," just so you know.) 

Without further ado, here is part of the opening scene of Michaella's Match. Enjoy! ♥

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The Season
London 1824

The dancers swirled by, dresses billowing out with each swift turn of the waltz. Ladies smiled, content with their partners, satisfied they were pleasing their parents with their actions. Gentlemen smirked, pleased with their conquests, satisfied they held the prize of the Season. The vibrant gowns of the duennas and widows mingled with the muted tones of the débutantes, creating a shimmering rainbow in the candlelight, accented with sparkling gems.

Lady Michaella Harcourt stood off to the side, blessedly alone for the nonce. She couldn’t endure one more moment of fake smiles and condescension. She watched the dancers, bitterness tugging at her heart. She witnessed one young girl fall in love with the man who held her, his own eyes so focused on the girl in his arms that Michaella knew the rest of the world ceased to exist for them.

Tears stung the back of Michaella’s eyes. She knew that feeling, remembered the all-consuming joy to be had with a gentlemen who returned one’s regard. The press of a hand, stolen glances, and the assurance that he would speak one day, making his feelings known to all, kept one holding on. And if one found oneself alone with one’s love, for just a moment, a stolen kiss, a sweet, all-consuming embrace might be all one had to hold onto, years later.

The crack in her heart deepened, sending a shaft of pain through her body. She stumbled back, disappearing behind the shrubbery that lined the grand ballroom. Her shaking legs threatened to send her to the floor.

How could the pain remain so fresh after so many years? She’d found a man she loved, one who’d adored her, made her feel safe and secure. She may not have been allowed to marry him, spend her life with him, but she’d still had much more than most young ladies.

Years later, her pain should be nonexistent, or at least manageable. Yet she could no longer see her sister, her beloved sister, the one with whom she’d never had secrets. As time passed the pain did not lessen, as she was told it would. It only increased, bringing envy and bitterness with it.

She envied her sister’s happiness. Leandra was married to the worst man in England, yet her happiness was visible for all to see. Her duke treated everyone with contempt, but for Leandra he was a different man. He loved her and her alone. He’d changed for her. He continued to change for her.

And it was that very man who’d arranged a marriage for Michaella, the sister he’d gained through marriage. He’d found a man he approved of to be her husband. The arrangements, the details, and the final agreement were all carried out through letters, hidden from Michaella’s mother. The countess would not look kindly upon the duke for interfering.

Good manners demanded Michaella at least call on the duke, on her sister, assure them both of her good health and continued love for them. It was no fault of theirs that the one man she truly loved was gone.

A tear escaped. Brushing it angrily away, Michaella straightened. It was enough. She could no longer wallow in her misery. She had to move on, and her betrothal was just the thing. Perhaps babies would help her leave the past fully behind, allow her to grow, maybe even find the happiness she’d so briefly enjoyed with Gabriel.

Just the thought of him sent the pain coalescing through her. How could life be so unfair?

“Steady, my lady,” a voice whispered close to her ear, making her jump. “You would not want the tabbies catching sight of you in such a state.”

©2013 Laura J Miller. All Rights Reserved.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my excerpt! For more Sweet Saturday Samples, please click HERE. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Joelle (FFXIII-2) ~ Village and Void

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Intrigue

It is Saturday and that means it’s time for a Sweet Sample from one of my books. It’s been several months since I’ve had opportunity to do so, but I mean to get back into the habit. 

Enough of that. Let’s get to the sample. ☺ 

This is taken from Chapter Four of my newest Regency release, Intrigue. The heroine (Malvina) is engaged to a man she barely knows (Gideon), has a teenage son who is a wee bit unbalanced (Wolf), and is being blackmailed by a scoundrel (...we don't know his name at this point). Enjoy! ♥

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About a week after Wolf’s homecoming, Malvina received an unexpected, yet expected, visitor.

The weather was still balmy at the peak of the day. Malvina had taken to walking about unescorted in the woods near the house. She used the time to think and as her problems had increased of late, she had much to occupy her mind.

An insect buzzed close to her ear and she waved it away. As her arm came down, she was grabbed from behind. A hand closed over her mouth, stifling her cry of alarm and cutting off her air. Her captor dragged her backwards, into the trees, until they were hidden from the view of any casual passersby.

She struggled against the arm, desperate to escape as her air slowly dwindled, black edging her vision. Then a voice whispered close to her ear, “If you don’t scream, my lady, I will release you.”

After a brief nod she was released. She stumbled and nearly fell to the ground but her companion reached out and steadied her with a hand under her elbow.

“Where have you been?” she snapped, her eyes probing the shadows in an attempt to make out his features. “I began to think you had decided to leave me out of your plotting.”

“Hoping, more like,” scoffed the man. “Unfortunately for you, I still have need of you. I will contact you soon about your next assignment.”

“Very well,” she answered, knowing she had no other choice. What this man held over her head was enough to make her do just about anything he could think to request.

The man glanced around the wooded area with a distracted look on his face. A patch of sunlight lit his face and he stepped out of it, squinting up through the leaves overhead. His brow crinkled.

In that moment of brightness, Malvina caught ordinary features, handsome yet nothing out of the common way, dark brown hair peeking out from beneath his hat. Then he was hidden in shadow again.

“I hear you have a man staying with you. Care to explain that?” His eyes swiveled back to hers, sliding over her face and down to her bosom. He paused there, eyes narrowing. She could only assume he stared at the pendant she’d taken to wearing, the pretty little gift bestowed on her by the very man he wanted to discuss.

Malvina felt an overwhelming urge to kick him in the shin and run away. A childish desire, to be sure, but one she couldn’t help but feel. “I am engaged. You may wish me well.”

“Indeed?” he replied, his brows raised slightly. “And will he be a problem for you? I would hate to have to remove him from the scene because he put his nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“He will not be a problem,” lied Malvina. She schooled her expression into one of annoyance, trying to cover her desperate hope that Gideon would prove to be just that. But at the same time, she feared for him.

“And who is the lucky man? All I can uncover is a vague description and his abject laziness.”

“Does it matter?”

“It does if you want him to survive the night.”

She studied him for signs of an empty threat. She was used to such, having lived with a man who was quite fond of empty threats. Finding nothing but dark promise, she capitulated. “He is Gideon Mallory,” she told him, giving him the name her betrothed had given the headmaster at Wolf’s school.

A look of sheer amazement crossed the man’s face. He snorted a laugh that contained hints of genuine amusement. “Did you say Gideon Mallory?”

“Do you know him?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

“The question is, my dear lady, do you?”

---

This book is currently available on Amazon HERE. 

Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to read my excerpt! Please take a moment and check out some other Sweet Saturday Samples by clicking HERE. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ LotR (Return of the King) Soundtrack ~ The Return of the King

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Gertrude's Grace

Gertrude's Grace is part of an anthology of Regency short stories that I have planned for publication this year. The following excerpt is taken from the rough draft of the opening scene. Enjoy!

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“Omph!”

Lady Gertrude Shiveley's backside connected with the floor. Her pink muslin skirts flew up, revealing a pair of plump legs in pale pink stockings.

Masculine chuckles and feminine giggles followed on the heels of her ignominious downfall. Gertrude winced, the fall itself causing little damage but her pride bruised beyond repair.

And just when she thought she couldn't possibly feel worse, she glanced toward the drawing room door. The newest arrivals stared at her, faces frozen in shock. Amongst them was Eric, Duke of Chatterton. His sister Lady Tilly stood beside him, her gloved fingers over her lips while her eyes danced with silent laughter. Gertrude wanted to crawl under the sofa and die.

As Lady Gertrude sat on the floor trying to muster the courage to rise and face her guests, Lord Chatterton set aside his hat, gloves, and walking stick, and approached. He silently held out a hand to the fallen young lady.

Gertrude gazed up into the angelic countenance above her. He was so handsome, she mused, her mind on his pleasing features rather than his offer of assistance. His eyes were the same grass green as her own, clear and fringed with thick, dark lashes. He was beauty personified, a Greek Adonis, the type of gentleman who gave Lady Gertrude Shiveley wide berth for fear of her legendary clumsiness.

Except.... he wasn't avoiding her, as he reminded her with a little shake of his proffered hand.

---

Thank you for stopping by to read this snippet of a work-in-progress. Please take a moment to check out the other Sweet Saturday offerings: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ FFXIII-2 ~ Heart of Chaos

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Intrigue

Time for another Sweet Saturday Sample and today's excerpt is taken from Intrigue. This is the prologue, and I apologize for the utter lack of actual "sweetness" in this excerpt. Intrigue is the next of my Regencies in line to be published and is going through edits. This portion may or may not end up included in the final draft. 

A brief blurb (which also may end up totally reworked): 

Espionage was no pastime for a lady. Yet, that's exactly what Lady Brackney finds herself embroiled in, up to her pretty white neck. To make matters worse, she accepts the proposal of a complete stranger just to save herself.... and her son.

Without further ado, Intrigue...

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The carriage lurched to a halt amid curses and neighing horses.

“Stand and deliver!”

The lone passenger, a striking woman in her early thirties, sucked in a breath and screamed. Her voice reverberated in the small space, threatening to permanently damage her own hearing.

With a prayer trembling on her lips, she stepped down from the conveyance, her movements shaky and unsure. She stood, cowering and miserable, as the thieves rifled through her reticule and rummaged through the carriage.

As the moments passed, she began to relax, thinking maybe, just maybe, her prayers had finally been answered.

The sound of approaching hooves put paid to any such notion. Her stomach sank to her sensible halfboots as a man on a horse charged into the fray, brandishing a pistol and threatening the bandits with any number of dire consequences should they refuse to cease their theft.

A scream rose up in the victim’s throat, a cry of anguish and warning, quickly swallowed, hastily suppressed. If the boy simply let them take what they wanted and go, everyone would be safe.

As three other armed men stepped from the trees, the young man on the horse was made quickly aware that he was in over his head. He tossed his pistol aside as ordered and leapt down, more than willing to part with a few meager possessions in exchange for his life.

And that of the lady, too, of course.

When his pockets were emptied, one of the bandits made the young man kneel, adding humiliation into the mix. A gun was placed to his head.

The lady’s breath caught in her throat, unease making her stomach clench in pain.

She stepped forward. The bandit with the gun looked at her, his eyes dead in his gaunt face. She hesitated only briefly; she did not want anyone hurt. If she could stop this, she must try.

Just as she opened her mouth to protest, a shot rang out. She watched helplessly as the body of a boy not much older than her own son fell lifeless to the ground.

*Image clipped from Half-Hours with the Highwaymen (1908) by Charles G Harper, illustrated by Paul Hardy, the author, and from old prints, page 155; Google eBook can be found HERE.

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I'm not entirely sure what to say after that so I'll just say THANK YOU for stopping by and taking the time to read this snippet of my current WIP. Please take a moment to peruse the other Sweet Saturday Samples by following this link: http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com.

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Toad the Wet Sprocket ~ Listen

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Redemption

Redemption is one of my first published books. It met the world back in '08. At just over 30k words it's not really considered a novel, but it is packed with a novel's intensity. After reaching the decision to rework all my older books (new covers, new formatting, a bit of editing), I also decided to add a bit to Redemption, if I can—sometimes stories/characters don't cooperate. 

All that said, here's a scene from the current edition, before anything has been reworked. Twin brothers Miles and Darius Prestwich haven't seen each in years. This snippet is taken from the middle of chapter one. Enjoy! ♥ 

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Instead of returning to the drawing room on the first floor, Dare decided to do a little exploring. He eased his way past the open doors of the room containing Bri and hurried down the rest of the stairs. He supposed Miles was about somewhere and if he knew his twin at all, he was willing to bet he was in the study poring over paperwork.

Dare shuddered. He hated paperwork. In fact, he could barely read and that suited him just fine. He had no use for books or newspapers and less use for writing.

Miles, on the other hand, had a flair for making sense of chaotic offices, studies, and libraries and simply thrived on literature. He usually had his nose in some book or other or his hands in papers that made no sense to anyone sane. Another shudder snaked through Dare’s body at the mere thought of organizing anything.

Making another turn, Dare faced a closed door. He was willing to bet he faced the study, as it was farthest from the noise of the street and house traffic. He pushed it open and walked in.

Miles looked up with a guilty flush, thinking it was Bri who had caught him daydreaming. He frowned when he saw his wandering twin.

Dare grinned, his face looking even more handsome than normal. “Please, Miles, your excitement over seeing me again after all these years is unbecoming in a man. Restrain yourself.” He crossed his arms over his chest and advanced into the room, gazing about in interest.

Miles frowned even more heavily at his brother’s levity but remained silent for the moment. Then he noticed Dare’s choice of garb. “What the devil are you wearing?”

Dare looked down with an expression of feigned wonder on his face. “Oh, dear father in heaven! I’m wearing clothes! I left my room naked. Where did these come from?” He pulled at his shirt, making it billow out away from his muscular chest. His look of bafflement was something to behold.

Miles almost smiled at Dare’s playacting. Instead, he gave him a stern look. “You are dressed far too casual for London and our cousin’s house, Dare. What if someone calls on Bri and sees you dressed like that? You could ruin all of our social cache in just one sitting.”

“What if, shwat if,” remarked Dare carelessly. “I will wear what I want until I am forced to go about in Society. And if the ladies who visit will be frightened by my dress I will simply hide until they go away.”

“Will you cut your hair?”

That wiped the grin off Dare’s face. “Why should I?”

“You look like a pirate, Dare. All you lack is the eyepatch.”

A gleam of interest lit Dare’s expressive face. “Indeed. I’ll look into that.”

---

♥Thank you for stopping by and reading this older snippet!♥ 

Please take a moment to check out the other 

Sweet Saturday Samples 

posted this week. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Lee Ann Womack ~ A Little Past Little Rock

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ The 11th Commandment

Sweet Saturday Samples are back and here I am with my offering! 

First, an intro. The 11th Commandment is a serial Regency romance I'm currently writing for InD'Tale Magazine. Here's the short blurb for the story as a whole: 

Lady Katherine never learned the fine art of hiding one's indiscretions. Thus her one mistake became Society's biggest scandal. Can she overcome the shame and learn to love again?

The following excerpt is from Part 7, the installment set to appear in the February 2013 issue. Enjoy! ♥

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Part VII: The Escape

She had to escape. Her very sanity depended on her swift removal from the premises. If she stayed, she knew—KNEW—she would do the unthinkable. She would seek him out, welcome him into her arms and her bed.

Again.

Katherine stifled a scream, her hands fisted at her sides. How could this be happening again? She'd returned to England to bury her husband, not take back the lover she'd taken years ago, the lover who'd ruined what little remained of her marriage.

Angry, frustrated steps took her first one direction, then the other, pacing a line in the soft carpet covering her chamber floor. She'd yet to disrobe, her assertion that she had to leave sending her immediately into nervous pacing. Three handkerchiefs lay in melancholy shreds on the floor, littered at her feet as she moved.

Her mind focused on one thing and one thing alone: Simon would ruin her again.

And she would enjoy every second of it!

Therein lay the problem. She would cheerfully go to her own ruin. She knew herself better than she used to and that meant knowing her own weaknesses. And if she knew Simon at all, he would be making his way to her room—

The knock barely sounded before she spoke, “Go away, Simon.”

Silence lay so thick Katherine wondered if she'd imagined the thunk on the door. Then, “I promise I won't touch you,” rumbled through the thick wood.

“It is not proper,” she insisted, holding her breath, a traitorous part of her urging her to let him in.

“You are a widow, Katherine. To hell with propriety.” She'd annoyed him, his rough words grating to her ears. She said nothing for a long moment. Just as she opened her mouth to tell him to take his gutter language straight to the very place he mentioned, he added softly, “Forgive me.”

Something in his tone struck Katherine. She touched the door, the smooth wood cool against her palm. Did he simply apologize for his language? Or more?

The middle of the night, in the middle of her late husband's home, the soon-to-be home of the new duke, was not the time for Katherine to have such a conversation with her former lover. If she was intelligent, she'd walk away, pretend she'd never heard his whispered plea.

If she was intelligent and not the woman who'd once tasted heaven in this man's arms. Latent desire curled its way through her limbs, a weakness in her knees tempting her to lean against the door, grasp the latch, and allow him entrance. But thoughts of her daughter and the example she must set for her firmed her determination to resist the temptation of Simon's embrace.

Straightening, Katherine took a deep breath and decided. She walked away.

---

Thank you for taking the time to read my little excerpt! If you want to read the rest, click on over to InD'Tale's website and subscribe to the magazine. Each issue is delivered right to your inbox. Subscribers also have access to past issues, where six previous installments of this story can be found. The best part? Subscriptions are FREE!

And don't forget to check out the other Sweet Saturday Samples offered by other lovely authors. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing

♫♪ Hayley Westenra ~ Dark Waltz

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Deception

Saturday is here again and it brings another Sweet Sample with it. I've selected a bit from Deception, my Regency novel published in 2010. This one is closely connected to Heartless, my most recent release. The heroes of these two novels are friends and have been for years.

This scene is where the heroine, Aurora, first meets the Duke of Derringer (the hero from Heartless). Aurora is having a Season for the express purpose of securing a husband. Her parents are dead and she is an heiress—though her monetary value is a close-guarded secret. Her companion, Ellie, is charged with finding out what she can about the Season's eligible gentlemen.

Enjoy! ♥

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“The one on his left,” Ellie continued quietly, “with the unfashionably long black hair is the Duke of Derringer. Beware of him, my dear. It is said he is a rake of the first order. There are, in fact, so very many unsavory rumors about him that I would hope you would avoid him altogether.”

“What rumors?” Aurora asked in spite of her dislike for harmful gossip.

Ellie pursed her lips for so long a moment, Aurora didn’t think she would tell her. “It is believed that he has killed two men in duels, ruined more than one innocent, drinks heavily, gambles only in the most disreputable of gaming dens, and keeps several mistresses. His grandfather, the first duke, made his fortune in piracy. It is said that he amassed so much wealth, the King, for fear of the man, granted him the dukedom in a bid to keep the man loyal to the crown. Lady Watson said that the present duke is involved in some illegal activities just like his grandfather. No one dares to ask him outright, or accuse him of anything, but the rumors abound anyway.”

To Aurora, none of it mattered. The man was a handsome gentleman, to be sure, and appeared every bit as dangerous as rumor claimed. Why, he wore nothing but black. Even his linen was black. To match his soul?

Perhaps that would be to her advantage. Many a man would think twice before tangling with a peer of such appearance and reputation.

She had to wonder, however, if such a man could be made to fall in love.

“Why is he accepted here?” Aurora asked curiously.

“Oh, his mother was bosom bows with Lady Sefton and he is very powerful for all he is only seven and twenty, nearly as powerful as his grandfather was. Lady Watson said none of it matters since the duke will die soon,” Miss Ellison told her young friend sotto voce. She was rewarded with a gasp at this little tidbit. “Apparently, his grandfather was killed by highwaymen when he was five and thirty. The second duke was four when he ascended to the title. He died in a boating accident when he was two and thirty, a year after his wife was found dead in their home near Folkestone. The present duke has held the title since he was seven.”

“But his father and grandfather died in accidents. Why would that suggest he will die young, as well?” Aurora asked, frowning.

Miss Ellison shrugged. “It is the way of gossip, I suppose. One will find intrigues where none exist.”

“Oh,” was Aurora’s enlightened reply.

---

Deception is available on Amazon and all other eBook retailers. The cover above is linked to the Amazon Kindle listing. ♥

Thank you for taking the time to read my excerpt. 

Please take a few moments to read some

Sweet Saturday Samples 

from other authors. Thank you! ☺

http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Within Temptation ~ The Howling

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Heartless

It's time for another Sweet Saturday Sample and I've chosen Heartless again this week. The following excerpt is the first scene in chapter two, as our heroine realizes how little she knows of the man she just married. Enjoy!!

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Leandra Merrily Harcourt married the third Duke of Derringer one early morning in late October. Shivers threatened to send her to the floor, the enormity of what she’d just done closing in on her. She knew so little about this man she now called husband.

The local vicar ended the ceremony. Leandra barely managed a full breath when the duke suddenly pulled her against his tall form and pressed his lips to hers. Shocked gasps came from the vicar and his curate.

For Leandra, time slowed. The embrace shocked her as much as their audience but for a very different reason. This man she’d known for mere hours manhandled her and she felt... excitement. She gasped and he released her with a mocking grin.

“Thank you, vicar,” the duke said as he escorted Leandra from the room. He tossed a few gold coins at the man as payment for services rendered and then handed the curate several pound notes as a donation to the church. “I have money to spare now,” he said carelessly to Leandra’s questioning look. “Thanks to you, wife.”

His voice held a note of something that made Leandra shiver uneasily. Oh, Lord, what had she done?

She knew exactly what she’d intended. She had leapt at the chance to become somebody’s—anybody’s—wife. Seduced by his manner, all ease and power, she’d craved the same feeling. She wanted to be able to act in any way she pleased without fear or threat. The penniless bastard daughter of a deceased earl had very little actual freedom.

---

Thank you for taking the time to read this short excerpt. If you liked what you read, then I have great news! You can get this book FREE in the Kindle Store November 28-29. Mark your calendars and be sure to grab your copy then!

For more Sweet Saturday Samples visit 

http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Daughtry ~ Used to

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Heartless

Today's Sweet Saturday Sample is another excerpt from Heartless. This is from chapter one, as our hero and heroine share a meal during which he eventually persuades her to marry him. Enjoy!

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Leandra’s eyes widened. The gentleman was very handsome in a non-fashionable way, very elegant…and very dark. Everything about him was dark. He wore a black cloak over a black jacket, a black shirt, and black buckskins with black topboots. Even his cravat was black. His gloves, tossed on the table beside his plate, were black leather. His black hair was worn long and tied back with a black velvet ribbon. His eyes were black and his skin was tanned dark.

She wondered a trifle breathlessly if his handkerchief and smallclothes were black as well. He quirked a black brow at her even as she assessed his appearance.

“Do I pass muster on a purely physical level?” he asked, voice tinged with sarcasm.

“Do you have a black horse?” Leandra heard herself asking before she could stop herself.

A sharp bark of laughter escaped him. “As a matter of fact, I have several black horses as well as a black cat and a black dog.”

“Oh, my,” she murmured.

---

If you'd like to read more, click on over to Amazon and grab the eBook sample for your Kindle.

For more Saturday Sweetness, visit 

http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Staind ~ The Corner

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Heartless

Hello again, readers! Welcome to another Sweet Saturday Sample in which you will get to read another excerpt from one of my bits of writing.

Today I've selected a few opening paragraphs from Heartless, my newest release. Enjoy! 

---

The third Duke of Derringer slammed his fist on the solicitor’s desk. An inkwell, a pen, a tea cup and Mr. Grimsby jumped. 

The black-haired, black-eyed duke gave him a searching look. Did the little man jest? If so, he was less intelligent than Derringer had thought. But Mr. Grimsby looked more terrified than amused so he decided that the bespectacled gentleman was not lying. 

“Indeed?” 

“Just so, your grace. I can only apologize that we did not find this until recently,” he added with a nervous swallow. His large Adam’s apple bobbed and Derringer found himself distracted. The man was not blessed with any amount of good looks, the duke thought. He pushed his thoughts back to his present problem. 

The Duke of Derringer had just been informed that he could not have his inheritance unless he married by a certain date. He’d always had whatever money he wanted, been given free rein with his finances. Then, after the death of the senior member of the solicitor’s office, a clause to the late duke’s will was discovered. 

Now Derringer sat across from this spindly-legged little man awaiting the date of his life sentence. 

“How long do I have?” Derringer snapped.

---

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into the opening of this novel. It is now available in Amazon's Kindle Store. ♥ 

For more Sweet Saturday Samples visit 
http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/. 

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Clint Black ~ Desperado

~Sweet Saturday Sample~ Heartless

I finally joined the ranks of authors who every Saturday post a short excerpt from one of their works. I've chosen to share an excerpt from Heartless, the next of my works to be published (hopefully in the next few days). This portion was taken from Chapter 15, shortly after Hart, the Duke of Derringer, manages to locate and rescue his cousin Gabriel. Enjoy! ♥

“Yes,” snapped the duke, “I am your cousin. The same cousin who pulled you out of the briers on too many occasions to count. The same cousin who defended you more than once when your father tried to beat some sense into your thick skull. The same bloody cousin who sent you off to war and nearly got you killed in the process!”

Shock sucked the air from Gabriel’s lungs. “You blame yourself, Hart? Because I enlisted?” The duke’s self-conscious shrug was his only answer. “I was army-mad, Hart. I would have gone if I’d had to take the King’s shilling to do it. You know that. There was never anyone closer to me than you. You know, Hart.”

Derringer stood and went to the one porthole in the cabin. He stared out into the night at the myriad stars hanging in the heavens. He didn’t want to talk about this. He didn’t want to be free of the blame. Deep down, he knew he was responsible. He was responsible and no one else. 

“You are not my keeper,” Gabriel repeated emphatically. “I made my choice and now I must live with the consequences.” 

Derringer didn’t turn around. “How did you lose your arm, Gabe?”

Gabriel glanced down at the missing appendage, then laid his head back and closed his eyes. “Waterloo,” he said. “Shrapnel lodged in too many places to be easily removed. Infection.” He threw his remaining hand up with a flourish, intoning dramatically, “Goodbye, arm.”

The hand he waved was, naturally, the one that held the thick brandy glass. Thankfully, it was empty. It did, however, fly from his hand to land with a thwack against the door of the cabin. Derringer jumped at the sound and swung around to see his cousin doubled over. He rushed over, fearing the worst, and was astonished to realize Gabriel was laughing.

If you'd like more info on this book, please click over and check out my Heartless blog. Thank you for taking the time to read this little excerpt!

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http://sweetsatsample.wordpress.com/

♥Happy reading, writing, and blogging!!♥

There's a jukebox in my head. It's currently playing
♫♪ Staind ~ Save Me